Jaggery manufacturers get bitter deal with price drop ahead of Pongal

COIMBATORE: Jaggery producers are busy churning out huge quantities of the essential ahead of Pongal festival in Salem, the hub for jaggery production in Tamil Nadu. However, they are concerned, as their produce fails to fetch a sweet deal in the market. They attributed a bumper harvest of sugarcane due to widespread rains to have played spoilsport with their fortunes.

“One sippam, which is around 30 kg of jaggery, is sold in the market at an average of Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,300 for this Pongal festival as against Rs 1,400 and above last year. We are concerned over a drastic dip in prices of jaggery,” said S Sathish, a jaggery manufacturer.

The surplus production of sugarcane also led to its prices going down steeply to around Rs 1,700 to Rs 2,000 per tonne depending on its quality.

“The cane fetched a much better price of Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,700 per tonne during the last Pongal season. Within a year, the acreage of cane cultivation has also increased sharply from 300 acres to 500 acres in Salem alone due to a significant increase in water fed areas,” he added.

Until a year ago, the jaggery manufacturers are forced to buy cane from Mandya in Karnataka during Pongal to overcome short supply from Tamil Nadu, then due to poor harvest.

There are more than 150 jaggery production units spread over in areas such as Kamalapuram, Karuppur, Thottiapuram, Desiangadu and Akkarapatty in Salem. They also provide a source of livelihood to thousands of people as each production unit employs at least 20 people.

However, C Madhaiyan, president of Jaggery Manufacturers Association in Salem said that just 50 units are functional now due to stringent restrictions imposed by the food safety department.

“A majority of the units have suspended production due to several regulations in the district, traditionally known for jaggery production. Eventually, inferior quality of jaggery brought from other states has been flooding the market,” he added.

Jaggery manufacturers also demanded the state government to provide jaggery in the Pongal gift kit. Though jaggery has been given last year, it has been stopped for this year, much to the disappointment of jaggery producers.

Even though jaggery is produced in Chithode and Kavundampadi in Erode district, Pillikalpalayam in Namakkal, Dharapuram in Tirupur and Dindugul in Madurai, the jaggery produced in Salem is in demand for its quality, aroma and sweetness.

n Jaggery prices dip drastically for this Pongal season

n Surplus sugarcane production also led to its price drop

n Of the 150-odd jaggery production units, a majority have suspended operations

n Manufacturers demand the government to provide jaggery in Pongal gift hamper

n Jaggery produced in Salem is in high demand due to its unique quality, aroma and sweetness